Effect of plant density and fertility levels of <italic>kharif</italic> groundnut (<italic>Arachis hypogaea</italic> L.) + pigeon pea (<italic>Cajanas cajan</italic>) intercropping system under red and laterite zone of West Bengal, India

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during <italic>kharif</italic> season of 2005 and 2006 to find out the plant density and fertility levels of <italic>kharif</italic> groundnut (<italic>Arachis hypogaea</italic>) – pigeon pea (<italic>Cajanus cajan</italic>) intercropping system. Growing of groundnut as sole crop recorded higher pod yield (1490 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) over groundnut in intercropping system. The highest pod yield (889 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) of groundnut among the intercropping system was obtained with the treatment received 100 % of both RDF and plant density of groundnut and pigeon pea respectively. Which was closely followed by T<sub>9</sub> (850 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>2</sub> (846 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>11</sub> (828 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) and (825 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) and they were statistically at par among each other. Growing of pigeon pea as sole crop recorded higher <sup>T</sup>10 grain yield (1584 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) over pigeon pea in intercropping system. Among the intercropping system the maximum pigeon pea grain yield was found in T<sub>1</sub> (1013kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) which was at par with T<sub>10</sub> (978 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>11</sub> (950 kg ha <sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>2</sub> (946 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>9</sub> (939 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), and T<sub>5</sub> (903 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>). Among the cropping systems, intercropping of groundnut with pigeon pea resulted in maximum groundnut equivalent yield (2155 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) in T<sub>1</sub>. Among the intercropping systems, groundnut with pigeon pea in 4:2 row proportions with 100% both plant density and RDF in all the crops was most remunerative in respect of net return (Rs.28400) and economic return: cost ratio (2.85).